HISTORIC SYRIAN PILGRIMAGE ENDS AS POPE DEPARTS FOR MALTA

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning celebrated Mass privately at the apostolic nunciature and at 10:15 left for the Damascus Airport, where he was greeted by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, political, religious and civil authorities and the diplomatic corps. He addressed those assembled to see him off, as he departs for Malta and the final leg of his 93rd foreign apostolic trip.

"As I take my leave of the ancient land of Syria," he said, "I am filled with a sense of gratitude. I give thanks above all to Almighty God for enabling me to continue my Jubilee pilgrimage of faith on the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. I am grateful to St. Paul who has been my travelling companion at every step of the way."

John Paul II also expressed gratitude to Syria's government and people and to all religious and civil authorities who made his pilgrimage possible. "The Syrian people are renowned for their hospitality and during these days they have made a pilgrim feel at home. I shall not forget this kindness." He underscored how he "shall cherish the memory of my visit to the Omayyad Mosque."

"My pilgrim prayer," stated the Holy Father, "is that Syria will move confidently and serenely into a new and promising future, and that your country will flourish in an era of well-being and tranquillity for its people.

"Syria," the Pope concluded, "is a vital presence in the life of this whole region, whose peoples have long suffered the tragedy of war and conflict. But for the door of peace to open, fundamental issues of truth and justice, of rights and responsibilities must be resolved. The world looks to the Middle East with hope and concern, expectantly awaiting every sign of constructive dialogue. Many serious obstacles remain, yet the first step towards peace must be a steadfast conviction that a solution is possible within the parameters of international law and the resolutions of the United Nations. I appeal once more to all the peoples involved, and to their political leaders, to recognize that confrontation has failed and will always fail. Only a just peace can bring the conditions needed for the economic, cultural and social development to which the peoples of the region have a right."

In off-the-cuff remarks made at the foot of the plane, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad shook the Pope's hand at length and told him: "If Your Holiness ever wants anything from Syria, you only have to let me know." The Pope thanked him for the warm welcome to Syria, and the president responded: "I know you must be tired from this trip but I thank you for coming." To which John Paul II replied: "You must be the youngest president I have ever met. Maybe I am the oldest and you are the youngest."

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POPE MEETS WITH YOUTH OF VARIOUS CHRISTIAN CONFESSIONS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 2001 (VIS) - This afternoon the Holy Father presided over a meeting with more than 2,000 youth, who filled the Greek-Melkite Cathedral of Damascus and also followed the event from outside on a large screen.

Participating in the event were the patriarchs and Catholic bishops of Syria, representatives from all of the Catholic rites (Armenian, Chaldean, Greek, Latin, Maronite, and Syrian), and the cardinals and bishops in the papal entourage. Also present were representatives from the Orthodox Churches of Syria.

After the greeting of His Beatitude Gregoire III Laham, Greek-Melkite Catholic patriarch, litanies were recited and various youth spoke. Following this the Holy Father addressed the young people.

"Although you belong to a variety of Christian confessions," the Pope said, "all of you wish to listen to the voice of the one Lord and to journey together towards Him. May your presence here be a sign of your commitment to work together, with Christ's grace, in promoting full visible unity between all Christians!"

John Paul II told the youth that notwithstanding the questions and uncertainties of the present day, "Christ is calling you and awakening in you a desire to make your life something magnificent and beautiful, a determination to pursue high ideals, a refusal to be satisfied with mediocrity, and the courage to make commitments, with patience and perseverance."

"In order to be able to respond to this call," the Pope continued, "strive constantly to grow in closeness to the Lord of life," through prayer, the reading of the Gospel, participation at Mass and the sacrament of Reconciliation. The Holy Father affirmed that "you cannot be a Christian if you reject the Church founded on Jesus Christ; you cannot be called believers unless you put your faith into practice."

John Paul II exhorted the youth: "Don't be afraid to take time to reflect with older people, in order to consider seriously the choices you have to make, choices which involve listening to Jesus Christ as He invites you to follow Him along the demanding path of a courageous witness to values worth living for and worth giving your lives for: values such as truth, faith, human dignity, unity, peace and love."

"I invite you today," the Pope said, "to proclaim Jesus Christ with courage and fidelity, above all to the young people of your generation. ... In seeing the way you live, your contemporaries ought to wonder what is your inspiration and the source of your joy."

The Pope affirmed that "the future of Christianity in your country depends on better relations and closer cooperation between the Churches and Ecclesial Communities present here. ... Strengthen the things that unite you. ... Your country is marked by fellowship between all parts of society."

At the end of his discourse, John Paul II asked the youth to witness to "'the Gospel of charity'" and to "build 'the civilization of love'! I say this with great hope and immense confidence."

Following this the Pope passed through the square outside of the cathedral in his "popemobile," greeting the youth, and then went to the apostolic nunciature where he spent the night.

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PUBLICATION OF THE INSTRUCTION "LITURGIAM AUTHENTICAM"

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2001 (VIS) - The Fifth Instruction for the Right Implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, "'Liturgiam authenticam', On the Use of Vernacular Languages in the Publication of the Books of the Roman Liturgy" was published today. This was promulgated by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments on March 28.

The 40-page document, which entered into force on April 25, was published in Italian, English, French and Spanish and was signed by Cardinal Jorge A. Medina Estevez and Archbihop Pio Tamburrino, respectively prefect and secretary of the congregation.

Following are extracts from a press release issued today:

"THE GREAT POST-CONCILIAR INSTRUCTIONS

"On 4 December 1963 the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council approved the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 'Sacrosanctum Concilium.' In order to facilitate the implementation of the liturgical renewal desired by the Council Fathers, the Holy See has subsequently published five documents of special importance, each successively numbered as an "Instruction for the Right Application of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council."

"A FIFTH INSTRUCTION

"The Instruction 'Liturgiam authenticam' serves to set forth authoritatively the manner in which the provisions of article 36 of the Liturgy Constitution are to be applied to the vernacular translation of the texts of the Roman Liturgy."

OVERVIEW

"The Instruction takes up the observations made in 1988 by Pope John Paul II calling for progress beyond an initial phase to one of improved translations of liturgical texts. Accordingly, 'Liturgiam authenticam' offers the Latin Church a new formulation of principles of translation with the benefit of more than thirty years' experience in the use of the vernacular in liturgical celebrations."

"It should be noted that the new document substitutes for all previous norms while integrating much of their content, drawing them together in a more unified and systematic way, underpinning them with some careful reflection, and linking them to certain related questions that so far have been treated separately."

Choice of Vernacular Languages

"Only the more commonly spoken languages should be employed in the Liturgy, avoiding the introduction of too many languages for liturgical use, which could prove divisive by fragmenting a people into small groups. A number of factors should be kept in mind when choosing a language for liturgical use, such as the number of priests, deacons and lay collaborators at ease in a given tongue, the availability of translators for each language, and the practical possibility, including cost, of producing and publishing accurate translations of the liturgical books."

THE TRANSLATION OF LITURGICAL TEXTS

Using Other Texts as Aids

"The text of the 'editio typica,' the official modern Latin edition, is always the point of departure for the translation. When the Latin text employs certain words from other ancient languages (e.g. alleluia, Amen or Kyrie eleison), such terms may be retained in their original language."

Vocabulary

"The vocabulary chosen for liturgical translation must be at one and the same time easily comprehensible to ordinary people and also expressive of the dignity and oratorical rhythm of the original. ... Translations must be freed from exaggerated dependence on modern modes of expression and in general from psychologizing language. ... There are in the Liturgy no texts that are intended to promote discriminatory or hostile attitudes to non-Catholic Christians, to the Jewish community or other religions, or which in any way deny universal equality in human dignity."

Gender

"Many languages have nouns and pronouns capable of referring to both the masculine and the feminine in a single term. The abandonment of these terms under pressure of criticism on ideological or other grounds is not always wise or necessary nor is it an inevitable part of linguistic development."

The Translation of a Text

"Translations should try not to extend or to restrict the meaning of the original terms, and terms that recall publicity slogans or those that have political, ideological or similar overtones should be avoided."

THE ORGANIZATION OF TRANSLATION WORK AND COMMISSIONS

"The preparation of translations is a serious charge incumbent in the first place upon the Bishops themselves, even if they naturally often draw on the services of experts. In all work of translation at least some of the Bishops should be closely involved, not only personally checking the final texts, but taking active part in the various stages of preparation."

"The Instruction sets out clearly the procedures (in general those in use until now) for the approval of texts by the Bishops and the forwarding of the texts for review and confirmation by the Congregation for Divine Worship."

"The Instruction concludes with a number of brief technical sections giving guidelines on publication of editions of liturgical books, including copyright, and on procedures for the translation of the liturgical texts proper to individual dioceses and religious communities."

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HOLY FATHER TO CONFER PRIESTLY ORDINATION ON 34 DEACONS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2001 (VIS) - On Sunday, May 13, fifth Sunday of Easter, Pope John Paul II will preside Mass at 9 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, during which he will confer priestly ordination on 34 deacons of the diocese of Rome.

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HOLY FATHER ARRIVES IN MALTA, ON LAST LEG OF PILGRIMAGE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2001 (VIS) - Following a flight of three and one-half hours, in which his plane flew over Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus and Greece, the Holy Father landed at Malta's Gudja International Airport at 2 p.m. local time. Civil and religious authorities, including Maltese President Guido Di Marco, Archbishop Joseph Mercieca and members of parliament and the diplomatic corps were among those who welcomed him to Malta.

John Paul's first apostolic visit to this Mediterranean island republic was in May 1990.

The Pope told those present for the welcoming ceremony that "after visiting some of the places especially connected with the history of salvation at Sinai, in the Holy Land and now in Athens and Damascus, my pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Paul brings me to you."

"The memory of my first visit eleven years ago spontaneously comes to mind," he said, recalling meeting the priests, religious and laity and visiting Marian shrines, the Bay and islands of St. Paul and "the ancient Grotto, venerated as the place where he stayed. I remember above all the faith and enthusiasm of the Maltese and Gozitans."

John Paul II noted that "St. Paul arrived in Malta as prisoner on his way to Rome, the place of his martyrdom. Here he and his shipwrecked companions were treated - as we read in the Acts of the Apostles - 'with unusual kindness'. Here he bore witness to Christ and restored to health the father of Publius and other people of the island who were sick. ... For two millennia you have been faithful to the vocation involved in that singular encounter."

In closing he said: "Today, the Successor of Peter wishes to confirm you in the same faith and encourage you in the spirit of Christian hope and love."

After the welcome ceremony, the Holy Father and his entourage were driven 21 kilometers to Rabat to the apostolic nunciature for a brief rest before the scheduled 6 p.m. visit to the Presidential Palace of the Grand Master of Valletta, the Maltese capital, for an encounter with President Guido Di Marco, Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami, their families, the chief justice and members of the cabinet and opposition party.

Formerly a British colony, Malta became independent in 1964 and was proclaimed a republic on December 13, 1974. An archipelago in the south-central Mediterranean, located between Sicily and Tunisia, it consists of the islands of Malta, Gozo, Comino and several other minor islands. Both Maltese and English are the official languages of this republic of 379,000 people, of whom 95 percent are Catholic.

The Sovereign Military Hospital Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also called the Order of Rhodes and the Order of Malta, was founded in 1099 in Jerusalem by Brother Gerardo, who had built an infirmary and a church for pilgrims in the Holy Land. After centuries of vicissitudes, the order moved to Malta when Charles V ceded the archipelago of Malta to it. They remained there until 1798. In 1834 the Sovereign Military Order of Malta transferred to Rome.

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2001 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Archbishop Emanuele Clarizio, apostolic nuncio, former president of the "Peregrinatio ad Petri Sedem," on April 16, at the age of 89.
- Bishop Donato De Bonis, prelate of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, on April 23, at the age of 71.
- Bishop John R. McNamara, former auxiliary of Boston, U.S.A., on April 16, at the age of 73.
- Bishop Nicolas Okioh, emeritus of Natitingou, Benin, on April 15, at the age of 69.
- Archbishop Michael Judson Procyk of Pittsburgh of the Byzantines, U.S.A., president of the Council of the Ruthenian Church, U.S.A., on April 24, at the age of 70.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 8, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation of Archbishop Rafael Bello Ruiz from the pastoral care of Acapulco (area 18,603, population 3,860,000, Catholics 2,740,000, priests 107, permanent deacons 15, religious 228), Mexico, in accordance with the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Felipe Aguirre Franco.

- Appointed Msgr. Kieran Thomas Conry, pastor of Stafford, of the clergy of Birmingham, England, as bishop of Arundel and Brighton (area 4,997, population 3,020,000, Catholics 162,820, priests 256, permanent deacons 13, religious 656), England. The bishop-elect was born in Coventry, England, in 1950, and ordained to the priesthood in 1975.

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